Armed Train in the Apocalypse

Before he picked up his daughter, Liang Kuan lived in a standard dormitory, with just enough room for a bed, leaving no extra space for movement.

Only after Liang Shu arrived did Hu Shuo manage to connect the vacant rooms above and below, finally making it somewhat decent.

As for the train conductor, he has always lived in a two-story flat over 200 square meters. If Yu Yue didn’t frequently add things to his room, it would look vast and empty!

Except for the train conductor, everyone else on the train pays rent for their accommodations, though this amount is deducted directly from their wages.

As long as you’re alive on the train, everything from clothing to food costs money.

You can go a day without food, but not a single day without work.

If you want to live better, you need to serve the train conductor better.

After checking upstairs, Su Huan casually made his way to the bottom of the cultivation pod.

With the research lab now integrated here, Su Huan sometimes has to run back and forth five or six times a day. It’s nothing new.

But today, there are two new faces in Director Xu’s ”single room,” which is what Su Huan came to see.

Inside the one-meter single room, even narrower than a standard dormitory, Number 1 hangs mutely from the ceiling, suspended by a fungus carpet like a giant chrysalis. A group of researchers moves in and out below, carrying equipment, which they then secure to Number 1 with the help of the fungus carpet.

Nourished by the fungus carpet, Number 1 can hang there without eating or drinking.

Director Xu watches the parameters with a serious expression.

Su Huan strolls over leisurely, ”How is it? Is it working well?”

Director Xu says in a deep voice, ”His body has undergone many complex modifications. I need some time to figure out their functions and then impose appropriate limitations before proceeding.”

Having long initiated human experiments, Director Xu has no qualms about using Number 1 as a biological component.

The only concern is confidentiality.

”What if he commits suicide? I found four or five suicide devices on him. If he wants to die, I can’t prevent it.”

”No problem.”

Su Huan takes a couple of steps forward and, smiling, asks, ”How do you feel, Black Kite?”

Number 1 responds blandly, ”If I had known you intended to use me this way, I would have come sooner. I’m even curious to see what kind of information you plan to handle me with.”

Su Huan sneers, ”Then you better work here until you die. No matter how many clone bodies you have, I’ll make sure you die!”

Number 1 does not argue. Using a clone body to work for Su Huan is a price he can bear.

The only trouble is that another version of himself won’t appear for another year.

But perhaps the information gained from Su Huan will compensate for that year.

Moreover, a year is probably enough for Shu Xin to reintegrate Black Kite, right?

Su Huan knocks on the single room next door. Mirror, who was watching TV, crawls out. Her oversized black knitted top is skewed, revealing a white shoulder, and her full figure sets hearts racing.

However, her expression is even more discouraging than Number 1’s.

While Number 1 exudes a robotic calmness, Mirror appears completely demoralized, like a zombie in her everyday personality.

Su Huan sighs softly, squatting down to help Mirror straighten her clothes.

These troubled children can eat, sleep, and use the bathroom on their own. Not going crazy or causing problems is already a show of respect for him.

What more can he ask for?

”Keep an eye on the guy next door. If he causes trouble, cut him down with an ax, got it?”

”Cut him down with an ax?”

Su Huan’s words seem to have triggered certain keywords. Mirror’s previously hollow eyes suddenly light up, tinged with a crimson hue, as she leans closer to Su Huan, licking her lips with anticipation, ”Who do we kill? Who do we kill? Who do we kill?”

”When do we leave?”

Su Huan remains silent, ”We’re not leaving.”

”Why not?”

”Oh, I get it, you want to have a go before the kill?”

”You should go back to watching your movie...”

Su Huan presses her head back into the single room.

He thinks this place suits Mirror quite well.

”Rest assured, although she’s sometimes emotionally unstable, she’s pretty conscientious when it comes to monitoring the experiment subjects.”

Director Xu hears their interaction and says a good word for Mirror.

Su Huan raises his eyebrows, expressing doubt.

Then Director Xu pulls out a video, showing the nighttime surveillance footage. Every day, at a fixed time, Mirror walks up and down the corridor with an axe, occasionally knocking around those Chongying people.

Though in a hazy state, it looks less like patrolling, more like sleepwalking...

...

Storm Zone, Black Kite New Base.

Shu Wei sits sideways on the sofa, while Giraffe and Bai Lu stand behind it, not even bothering to clean the bloodstains off themselves. They stand like two divinities of slaughter, occasionally casting cold glances at Mr. Shu and the curious eyes outside.

”No need to wait; he’s likely already won.”

Mr. Shu sips tea across from her.

Shu Wei relaxes her brows but sighs softly inside.

Although she didn’t see the conclusion of the latter half of the battle, she knows that Su Huan has certainly resolved her troubles too.

With Number 1 gone, the rest of Black Kite is leaderless, and being absorbed by Mr. Shu is only a matter of time.

Placing the tablet on the coffee table, Shu Wei sits up straight, ”With this buffer period, even if Number 1 returns, it won’t leave you in too difficult a position. If there are no other matters, I’ll be leaving.”

Mr. Shu pours the contents of his teacup onto an odd-looking tea pet Shu Wei made for him when she was a child. It has a large head, a thick neck, a big tongue that can reach its stomach, and a wide-open mouth with a few crooked sharp teeth.

”Don’t rush; I’ll leave with you tonight.”

”You know where I’m going back to.”

Shu Wei has no interest in playing games with him.

Mr. Shu looks directly into Shu Wei’s eyes with a smile, ”I’m getting old. If you stay, I’ll hand Black Kite over to you, clean and organized, after it’s been put together.”

”You can choose any of your sons, but I won’t accompany you anymore.”

Shu Wei has no interest in the inheritance of Black Kite.

As she rises to leave, Mr. Shu calmly says, ”What use is it for you to return?”

”He is now the only Tier Four Evolver in all of Donghuang, even the world, a super life form at the top of the food chain. Why should you stand by his side?”

Shu Wei frowns, ”What do you mean?”

Mr. Shu spreads his hands, ”Nothing, just a father having a heartfelt conversation with his daughter.”

”Your evolutionary ability is average. Your only advantage lies in your management skills. But the Armed Train continues to function normally after you leave, showing that your ecological niche is replaceable.”

”This is a consideration from the perspective of interest, from a man’s viewpoint.”

”With you here, he might think of you occasionally, but once you return to his side, do you think he will still remember you?”

His words hit Shu Wei hard, rooting her in place.

Giraffe standing behind the sofa exchanges a surprised look with Bai Lu.

’This old man is something, huh?’

Shu Wei’s jawline tightens, and her gray-blue eyes flicker slightly.

She knows her own evolutionary potential. A severe illness in her childhood left her with weak life force. If not born into the Shu family, she wouldn’t have survived the first wave of the apocalypse, let alone evolve.

Relying on extensive resources, she only barely reached Tier One, and she might never reach Tier Three in her lifetime.

In evolution, she can’t compare to Lord Lian, as she will surely lag behind Su Huan by taking this path.

In research, she falls short of Yu Jing.

In relationships, she’s no match for Yu Yue.

Even Tan Yunxi, that dead girl, offers more fun than she does.

Thinking of Su Huan surrounded by a group of such women, Shu Wei feels a bit anxious. Although she longs to fly back, she reluctantly admits that returning now holds little meaning.

It’s better to realize her management capabilities at Black Kite, providing some support, even if it’s not as impressive as that woman’s at Donghuang Heavy Industry.

Black Kite still leads the field in Genetic Potion research among major forces.